


Maybe I Do Anyway

by LadyShadowphyre



Series: 2019 SPN Fluff Bingo [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Mob, Arranged Marriage, Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Law Student Sam Winchester, Long-Distance Relationship, Lucifer (Supernatural) is Called Luke, M/M, Male Friendship, Past Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester, Protective Michael, Socially Awkward Castiel (Supernatural)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 07:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17524178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyShadowphyre/pseuds/LadyShadowphyre
Summary: Sam had expected his arranged marriage to the head of the Engel family to come with certain benefits - even if he didn't get the full ride scholarship to Stanford Law, which was unlikely, Michael wouldn't think twice about paying whatever fees there were - and certain drawbacks... such as his new in-laws.





	Maybe I Do Anyway

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zetal (Rodinia)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Inherited Fiancé](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15159524) by [Zetal (Rodinia)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal). 



> Written entirely off the cuff for my dear mutual enabler, and then applied to my SPN Fluff Bingo square "Friends to Lovers"!

**O** NE GOOD WINTER holiday did not magically make everything happy and comfortable, nor did sex solve all of the problems still facing them, but Michael was willing to be patient and helpful, and Sam was willing to be helped. Naomi's drills on the strict adherence to high societal propriety meant that neither of them had to force a closeness that was not yet there, never mind natural, but in private they worked together to bridge the distances created by John Winchester's bitterness and Luke's overhasty lethal measures. The end result was that Sam went back to Stanford feeling calmer and more settled than he had when he left, and though his chest still ached at the thought of Jess, the ring on the chain around his neck felt more like a talisman of comfort and protection than a lodestone.

Classes helped, too, and finding a routine again as the new classes altered his schedule yet again. This time, his schedule put him in the position to make a new friend completely on his own. Cas Martinez was one of the Tuesday and Thursday afternoon baristas at his favorite on-campus coffee shop, and despite the initial stiffness - Cas admitted later that he was very awkward talking to people, even with a script to follow - they had a similar sarcastic humor and clicked well enough that Cas started spending his breaks sitting with Sam and helping him study or just talking. Sam automatically avoided talking about anything to do with his family, and while Cas had a few funny stories about younger siblings he, too, seemed content not to get into anything involving the rest of his family. It was a good friendship, and that plus regular communication with Michael via email and the occasional phone or Skype call were going a long way towards making Sam feel more and more like he wouldn't mind letting his husband put his wedding ring back on his finger come Spring Break.

So when he connected the Skype call to Michael and saw his husband looking crossly off to the side instead of his customary small smile for the camera, Sam was nonplussed and wary. "Michael? Everything okay?"

"Yes, Sam, everything is..." Michael trailed off as he looked up and apparently saw the concern on Sam's face, and sighed. "Nothing is wrong, per se, just my brother Raphael being unreasonable."

"Anything I can help with?" It was a risky question, given Michael's... business... and his respect for Sam keeping him out of the more unsavory aspects of that business, but this was his husband and that title was feeling less and less onerous. At the very least, Sam should be able to provide a listening ear. The wry smile he got for it told him that Michael understood the conditional aspect of the offer, though the consideration told Sam he was seriously thinking about it. He was therefore unsurprised when Michael nodded and sat forward.

"First, I should admit to something that I worry may have a negative effect on your time at Stanford," Michael cautioned. When Sam pressed his lips together but nodded, he went on, "Given Luke's... precipitous and ham-handed actions, and the results thereof on several fronts--" Which, Sam had to admit, was a very adroit way of admitting that Luke paid someone to murder Jess and went to prison for it. "--I felt it prudent to have someone nearby on campus to act as a bodyguard in case some of Luke's loyalists got it into their heads to try and get revenge. You're perfectly capable of defending yourself, I know, but having back up can often be critical and, much as I might wish otherwise, I cannot be there in person to be that back up for you."

Well. It wasn't like Sam hadn't considered the possibility that he was being watched, although Michael definitely made it sound more like he was being watched over rather than someone keeping tabs on him. "Am I not going to like who you sent?"

"It's my second cousin, Castiel."

It took a moment, but when Sam connected the dots his jaw dropped. "Cas? Seriously?"

"He's a very capable fighter, but not very adept at casual social interactions," Michael sounded sheepish now. "His instructions were to be on hand to help keep you alive if necessary, but to otherwise interact or not at his and your discretion. Given what little I knew of you at the time and what all I knew of him, I suspected you both would become friends if given the chance, and I hope that learning his... allegiances... will not strain or damage that friendship."

"I'll have to talk to him about this, let him know that I know and all," Sam temporized. When Michael nodded, as if he had expected this, Sam went on, "So if my friendship with Cas isn't the problem, what is?"

"Raphael is... also socially awkward, but in different ways," Michael explained slowly. "He's a very good surgeon, steady hands and an incomparable understanding of the nuances of the human body... but the nuances of social interactions are frequently beyond him. After Luke, he became more than a little paranoid about proving his loyalty to me and weeding out betrayals, which I would not necessarily mind if he had not sent his own watcher to Stanford with less altruistic instructions than being your back up in a fight."

This time, it took longer than a moment for Sam to connect the dots, because the idea was just so ludicrous, but finally it connected. "You're kidding."

"Unfortunately not," Michael scrubbed a hand over his face. "I know it's ridiculous. You were quite upfront about the subject when we spoke over the holidays, and I trust you would have informed me if anything of that nature was going to happen so I could prepare whatever paperwork might be necessary. Raphael, on the other hand...."

"Is not as adept at understanding the difference between close friendships and flirtation," Sam offered diplomatically.

"Exactly." Michael lowered his hand again and gave Sam another of those wry smiles. "I'm really not sure what you can do to help with this - I refuse to be the type of spouse who would dictate your friendships - but I do appreciate your willingness to allow me to vent my frustrations with my younger brother."

Well. The timing wasn't the greatest, but Sam had just been thinking about this. "Actually, I think I have something that will help a little more than venting. Hang on."

Sam got up from the desk, leaving the camera running as he went over to the dresser and began rooting through his sock drawer. The slightly strangled noise of appreciation drifting out from his computer speakers made him blush and remember that he had forgone pants for this call. Well, not what he had been thinking, but it might be something to explore later on. Finding what he was looking for, Sam straightened up and returned to Michael.

"I was going to wait and do this over Spring Break when we had more time together, but I don't mind moving it up if it will help you with Raphael," he said as he opened the small black box and showed the camera its contents. "It's a Saint Michael the Archangel medallion."

"I'm flattered," Michael teased, though Sam could see he was curious.

"Yeah, well," and Sam found himself looking down at the box before he made himself look up at Michael's face again. "I figured I would need something else to go on the chain after I took the ring off of it."

There was a long moment of silence while Michael's face did several things all at once before settling tentatively on hope. "Sam?"

"See, this is why I wanted to have more time to do this in person," Sam found himself rambling. "I mean, yeah, you already put the ring on me once, but I still hoped to ask you to do it again... but we can do it this way, too, if--"

"I can be there by morning," Michael interrupted, then frowned. "No, wait, you have class tomorrow morning."

"It's Thursday tomorrow," Sam reminded him, grinning a little helplessly. "After class ends, I'm all yours for the rest of the day. And, if you're okay with it... I wouldn't mind introducing my husband and my best friend."

"We might give Castiel a heart attack," Michael cautioned.

"You can warn him if you want," Sam offered. "Or I can. I need to call Dean about this anyway, and there's only one person I don't want warned ahead of time."

"Who?" Michael asked, intrigued. Sam grinned.

"Raphael's watch dog."

**-End-**


End file.
